To Burn A Flyleaf
by Kagamichihime
Summary: For an aspiring romance novelist, Kaname Kuran doesn't know a thing about relationships. Now it's up to bestselling author, Zero Kiryuu, to teach him about love. But Zero swore he'd never fall again, and Kaname's writing has more power than he realizes.AU
1. Permanent

**A/N:** A new concept I'm working on. Depending on my feedback, I might continue this story. Right now, it's an experiment I've been planning...

**Warning:** This is rated M, for magic(k), mischief, and mayhem. ;) (And L for possible lemons later on.)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Knight. It all belongs to Matsuri Hino.

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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"Are you sure that you don't want to talk about it?"

Zero nodded stiffly with a frown, threading his fingers through his hair as he sat hunched over on the pale couch in his editor's-slash-publicist's study. His elbows rested on his knees, digits gently pulling at his roots as he willed himself not to think about...

"How is your tattoo?" she asked gently from an elegant winged armchair, reaching out to brush his hair aside.

"Like a bad sunburn..." Zero replied, tipping his head to the side and pulling down the onyx collar of his dress shirt to let her see it better.

The tattoo was no longer red as it had been an hour ago, though the skin was still sensitive. It had skipped the scabbing phase, healing right away over the black ink. Zero had already applied aloe vera to it about a dozen times within the last hour, but the tingling still remained. It was as if he were being pierced by fangs over and over again, and the thought made his skin crawl. It pulled his mind back to the very things, the very person, the events he was trying to pretend never existed in the first place.

"It's a beautiful piece." she murmured, studying the simplistic yet ingenious lines along his neck that formed a thorny flower of sorts, and daggers.

"Could we please stop talking about my tattoo, Shizuka-san? It's making my stomach turn." he asked, shying away from the cool yet gently touch.

"My apologies." she sighed, withdrawing her hand to smooth out the bottom of her lavender kimono, folding both in her lap. "I've never seen you so troubled, it worries me."

"I thought I'd be able to live just like you and Jiro, but I guess I was a fool for dreaming that lightening could strike twice." Zero admitted.

"Society looks down on us, you know." Shizuka studied him over the top rim of her silver glasses. "I may be a princess, but there are many who have tried to kill him and myself indirectly. It's a pressure far more intense than any pureblood should have to feel, and very few can even tolerate such plays for our lives the way I have. I've started that human relations' group in order to try to successfully raise awareness, and, hopefully, eventually merge the two races closer together."

Zero said nothing. He was listening and comprehending, but was trying to keep his mind occupied with simple, demanding tasks so that he wouldn't start creating his own, pitiful fantasies once more.

Nine hundred and thirty-one.

There were Nine hundred and thirty one tomes on the walnut bookshelves that lined every inch of the wall space in her office, from the crimson carpet to the white ceiling. It was a rather irritating number, and Zero would recount to make sure that his consensus was correct. They were like eye-candy to him, all those different sizes and shapes, and the worlds they contained between those pages! They were the sweetest treat any avid reader could posses.

What he really needed was one of those tomes, something to calm him down and engage his mind. A bibliophile without books was like a smoker without cigarettes. Heaven forbid that anyone give him a writing utensil and a tome at the same time, otherwise the margins and flyleaves would have been filled up with annotations, edits and creations of his own. Why, why couldn't he shut off his brain?

"There's another young pureblood who's studying to enter my field, he likes to write too. Maybe you should get to know each other so he can teach you societal etiquette?" Shizuka suggested upon reading his internal struggle.

"Are his storied any good?" Zero asked, sighing when he saw her wince.

"Not particularly," Shizuka admitted ruefully, crossing her legs, the gesture making the gold bells in her silvery hair tinkle. "but you two have a common interest, so it'll be most convenient for the both of you."

"I don't see why I can't learn from you." Zero muttered, combing his fingers through his hair. "Well, then again, they'll probably think that you're slowly but surely creating your own cult to overthrow society, and I don't want to burden you more than I already have."

"You're no burden, I'll talk to Asato-san about it. You've already been deemed as an important individual for the human-relations movement because of your talents, so you're more likely to thrive in our culture than Jiro ever would."

"That last manuscript I wrote was utter crap." Zero mumbled, leaning back against the pale sofa. "Nothing but a self-insert piece to whine about my troubles. I'm honestly shocked at how many pre-orders it got."

"No matter what, no one will know the real story but you."

Zero grinned crookedly, lips twisting into a grimace. He leaned forward once more, grabbing one of the several notebooks laying on the coffee table, slipping a small, ball-point pen and glasses out of his breast pocket. He placed the frames on the bridge of his nose, watching the world behind those lenses pop and sharpen as he turned to a random page. Licking the tip, he pressed the nib to the paper, a bit of black bleeding onto the blank sheet.

"_I_ don't even want to know the real story." he said simply, staring into her heliotrope irises. "So tell me, what's my cover? I'll need to hear the details to keep with consistency."

Shizuka smirked, deciding to mess with the young author.

"You know, Zero, ritualistically, when male vampires meet a pureblood of the same sex for the first time, they drink from each other's wrists in greeting to sample their blood and compare magnitude of strength. It's a sign of respect."

Zero nodded, writing the details down.

**"ღ*~+~*ღ"**

They were dead.

Kaname was the one who let them die.

One could even go as far as to say that he was the murderer, as he had done nothing to save them, casting the mother and her child off into oblivion as if she really _were_ no more than an errant thought that had been long forgotten. They would never see the light of day again, nor would they be rescued from their impoverished hovel by the guilty young man who had raped and impregnated her, trying to make amends by righting all of his wrongs.

Never, for Kaname had killed him as well.

And he didn't even feel guilty.

The pureblood threw what was left of his manuscript into the stone fireplace. He watched shamelessly as the flames caressed the thick stack of papers, enveloping it within its vermilion heat, blackening the documents' edges until they curled and crumbled, bright lines of scarlet consuming, spreading along the once-snowy surface, leaving naught but gray ashes in its midst. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kaname could swear he heard her pleading cries, but he didn't bat an eyelash.

A sweetly scorched, dry scent mingled with smoke issued from the pyre - the scent of the burning bodies - the pages of his latest attempt at writing a novel.

Kaname wandered over to his luxurious bed, kicking off his shoes along the way before throwing himself face-down onto the silk sheets sprawled over the mattress. To hell with his fancy clothes, he would shed them and, for tonight, leave them where they lay, too tired and frustrated to care about tidiness, or maintaining the condition of his cuffs and ruffles.

It was a fruitless effort, and he had no idea as to why he would even try to write romances anymore.

Kaname was a pureblood. He was different from all of the others his age. While they were free to have relationships, attend school, socialize and grow up slowly, he had been reared from within a glass box, Asato's glass box to be specific. He was surprised that he was shaped like a person and not some cube, like how they grew designer watermelons. His position at the top of the food chain, so to speak, was one that involved tedious study, primping, grooming, and such, he didn't have time to pursue a romantic relationship like the rest of his peers.

Either way, who would truly come to care about him anyway? No woman would want him for love. Who in their right mind be so foolish as to love a tool of the trade for social-climbing? They only wanted three things from him; political powers, which resided in his money and status, vampire powers, which resided in his blood, and his seed, which resided in his...

Well they wouldn't be getting any of it. If he couldn't experience a proper relationship to base his writings off of, then Kaname would resort to plan B--asking another person about their experiences.

The lock to his bedroom door clicked, handle turning to bang against the back wall as an unknown persons rushed in.

"What the hell are you doing?! Oh I knew I could smell burning paper!"

Kaname twisted around on the mattress, turning just in time to witness a man with silver hair risk his precious fingers by reaching into the fireplace to salvage what was left of the manuscript. He plucked it from the flames, batting at it here and there to try and extinguish the encroaching plasma.

"OI! Do you know how to knock? Have you gone mad?" Kaname yelled, twisting around in his sheets, halfway through undressing.

"I could ask you the same thing! What kind of a freak burns books?" the man screamed back, outraged as he gently cradled the remains to his chest, getting gray ashes all over his dress shirt.

"You're the freak. Have you no manners? To barge into a pureblood's room, you must be suicidal." his eyes flashed dangerously, boring holes into the other vampire's back. "You're getting soot on my carpet!" he added for good measure, feeling the need to rant about his every shortcoming, since his first impression was turning out to be less than flattering.

"What's so special about you guys?" he asked in a low tenor, turning darkened mauve eyes to the pureblood, a flicker of pain touching them before his stance changed. "Yes, you run the entire race, but you bleed red, the same as the rest of us."

Kaname was taken aback. Never before had anyone voiced aloud his own thoughts. He looked over the young man, noting everything from his offensive stance to the way his black, horn-rimmed glasses hung low on the bridge of his nose. He was rather handsome, even with the frames, though Kaname thought he would have looked better without them.

Wasn't he expecting a visitor tonight? Yes, he remembered clearly what Asato had requested, to introduce a turned human into the aristocratic and political side of the vampire world, to educate him, as held the potential be an invaluable influence on the entire race, for being an author.

"State your name and reason for being here." Kaname commanded expectantly.

"Ichijou-san sent me here, so I don't see why I have to answer to you. It's not as if you own the house." Zero frowned, sizing up the pureblood.

"You _will_ tell me your name." Kaname growled in a low tone, causing the man to shiver involuntarily before giving in.

"Kiryuu, Zero."

Curious. A thousand questions ran through his mind, but he decided to only harass him minimally.

"Isn't your clan of hunters?" he asked, lifting a brow.

"They disowned me when they found out what I had done." Zero replied with no emotion.

"Don't you write?"

"Yes," Zero ground from between grit teeth, eyes thinning as if he expected criticism.

Kaname hadn't read any of his works before, so there wasn't anything for him to criticize, about his writing anyway. When it came to his character though, that was another matter entirely.

"Why would you choose to be a slave to bloodlust?"

"It's none of your concern, but if you must know, I did it for longevity."

Kaname sighed, running a hand through his dark mess of hair. He gestured to a plush armchair near the bed, wanting Zero to have a seat. What kind of a headstrong person had they sent for him to look after?

"Your instincts should tell you to fear and revere a pureblood, yet you dare to bare your fangs at me." he laughed, narrowing his eyes. "The novelty of this lifestyle is your only saving grace. From this moment onwards, I will be your mentor and guide through the first year of your new life. I will teach you how to use your fangs, how to handle relations with your peers, the hierarchy, and a whole plethora of other points for cultural and social wellness in a fully-functioning vampire society. Now, even if it is my duty as a pureblood to benefit our race by refining your knowledge about us as a whole, I do charge a commission, as I am a very busy person.

"However, as I have heard about your talents, I am willing to mentor you, and put up for your room and board for the entire year if you do me one, simple favor."

Zero cocked a brow, straightening up from his affronting stance.

"There's no need, I have vast amounts of wealth. But I am curious about your proposition. What, may I ask, is that?"

Kaname looked at him for a while, before blushing in embarrassment.

"Teach me how to love."

"No." came his instant reply.

"Why the hell not?" Kaname asked, his patience growing short.

"Because I don't like your face." Zero spat, finally losing his temper before storming out of the room, calling back. "I can get someone else to teach me etiquette."

Kaname caught up to him in the hallway.

"Don't you dare walk out on a pureblood! You're so disrespectful." he growled, stopping once Zero rounded on him.

"You want respect?" he asked, grasping the pureblood's palm. "I'll give you respect."

Zero licked his lips, latching them onto the supple skin on the inside of Kaname's wrist, making his jaw drop. The ex-human took it as a sign for him to offer his own blood, shoving his arm into his face, nearly punching him in the process.

Kaname could feel his tongue coat his wrist with warm saliva, his own instinct kicking in, telling him to root for sustenance. He mimicked the movements, sucking lightly on Zero's wrist as he grazed his flesh with his fangs. The silver-haired youth bit down hard, one minute leaning into the pureblood, the next being pushed up against the wall of the dark, vacant corridor by an extremely warm body.

The hot rush of blood pulsated into his mouth--he must have hit an artery. Zero could taste Kaname's flavor, smokey sweet, riddled with testosterone. The pureblood drank just as greedily, the sweet and spicy hints soothing the burning of a thirst he never knew he had. He could feel the blood bond forming between them, deepening with every gulp, intensifying with each additional stimulus. Every movement, every sigh was intensified in that moment of encroachment in their little world.

The unbidden image of blood splattering on snow was a sound awakening in Zero's mind.

Ripping away from the pureblood, Zero's blood smeared lips parted, baring his fangs in a feral snarl that surprised Kaname, his own fangs tearing out of Zero's veins.

It was amazing! It was hot, needy, it was so... so...

Emotional.

"You're going to teach me." Kaname commanded huskily, burying his face into the ex-human's hair. "The opportunity is too great to pass up."

Had his tone done a one-eighty or what?

"One year is all I'm asking, I've never before felt so inspired, so alive."

"As long as this never happens again." Zero murmured, fear blossoming amongst the heat in his stomach.

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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**A/N:** Not the best opening chapter I've made, but if I continue, it'll get better. The feeling in this one is a little different from all of my other fics. I changed the ending at the last minute, by the way, as the original draft had Zero storming off and leaving Kaname behind, uninterested in the jerk that Zero was being to him. The beginning may seem drab, but I have big things planned...

**Reviews: **Tell me what you think? I would love you forever.


	2. Banter

**A/N:** I was amazed that so many people liked the story! Thank you so much for your support!

You should so totally read up on the legend of Kaguya-hime. (The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter) There's a summary on Wikipedia. It's been my favorite Japanese legend since the second Inuyasha movie came out (The Castle Beyond The Looking Glass).

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any part of The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter. And I have no idea who wrote it. I am also in no way an expert in writing.

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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The whiff was so small that Shizuka herself wouldn't have noticed, if she weren't distinctly looking for it.

Zero and Kaname had forged a blood bond.

Sure, she had taken advantage of their naivety, but that bond would protect Zero... and probably improve Kaname's writing, the poor, sheltered child. If Shizuka could help it, that would change soon. If his heart remained small, then he wouldn't be able to serve his people as King. It was up to Zero to coax emotions out of him, and Kaname's innocence to any sort of intimate contact would probably frustrate him into making a move. His heart would soon heal.

"Asato-san, what do you think about sending Kaname to school once the winter break is over?" she asked, flipping her long silvery hair as they walked through the cold forest near the mansion.

**"ღ*~+~*ღ"**

The lingering blood in the hallway had to be cleaned with a rag soaked in straight bleach before being thrown directly into the fireplace. A window was opened for noxious fumes to be swept away with the wind. Kaname wondered whether Shizuka or Asato could smell the blood, before deciding that he didn't care--it was his blood to give, and he had chosen to do so to the ex-human.

He turned back to Zero, who was still cradling the scorched manuscript closely, flipping through the pages with a forlorn expression set upon his features.

That nut was obsessed with books of any form.

"Your room is through here." Kaname motioned with a nod at a door near his fireplace.

"I'm not going to live in your closet." Zero frowned at the insane pureblood, looking up from his writing. "Even if yours might be a walk in."

"Are you sure that you aren't in a closet for knowing about walk-in's?"

"Are you calling me gay for having a superior knowledge about something like home floor plans?" Zero asked, raising a brow. "Sorry to disappoint, but that doesn't make me gay, just well read or educated, though both can go hand in hand. Like this," he demonstrated, bouncing slightly on the mattress he was sitting on. "Sure, we know it's a bed, but if you write about it and put bed, then it isn't very descriptive, especially when your version of a bed may differ from another person's. This happens to be a king-size four poster."

"There's more than one type of bed?" Kaname asked, stunned. "I thought they were all like that one, I've never seen any other kind before."

"You must have been very spoiled as a kid. Of course there's more than one type of bed! Some are smaller than this, they're singles, doubles, queen-sized, in all sorts of different styles too. The same goes for anything you can imagine, from things like hair, syntax when a character is speaking, all the way to types of needles. I noticed you had problems with description in your literature. Describe this." he said, patting the bed sheet.

"A red blanket."

"Boring!" Zero rolled his eyes. "I mean, if you call it that every once in a while it's fine, but this is a ruby duvet. You can say the color if it's being looked at, or, if someone is waking up in the bed, you don't have to describe the color right away, since they wouldn't see anything with their eyes closed. You could call it a silk bedspread. Then again, some authors don't even go as far to describe things like that, though I prefer more detail."

The ex-human rose from the bed, crossing the dim carpet to Kaname's side over the threshold to their joined rooms.

"How well read are you?" he asked, examining his plain room in disinterest.

It was the mirror image of the room behind him, except there was only a four poster of his own sitting there. No bookshelves, no desk, no lamp on the single nightstand for late night reading. That would most definitely have to be fixed.

"I read quite a bit. I self educate. I know a lot of this and that, am well spoken to an extent, but when it comes to paper, my thoughts fly away, they race far too quickly for me to grasp and write down in little more than grade school shorthand."

"Then you'll need a computer, preferably a laptop with a keyboard that matches your hand size so you have an easier time with typing. Too big and you'll take forever, too small and you'll end up pressing a million keys at once."

"Writing takes a lot, doesn't it?"

"Of course. It's a labor of love, for most people. Some write for fun, but a lot of them hold high hopes that they can publish something one day."

"How many?" Kaname asked, engrossed in the conversation.

"Well, probably more than three fourths." Zero said thoughtfully, becoming more comfortable talking with the pureblood when the subject was about books and writing. "If one reads for a long enough time, they'll eventually begin to believe that they could write their own stories. There are a few of them who can pull it off, but the rest of them are better off as fans of reading. How educated are you?" he inquired, wanting to get a feel for where he stood before covering any unnecessary topics.

"Fairly well. I've had a few tutors here and there, but English isn't exactly my strongest point, writing wise."

"I saw." he chuckled. "If we're going to be stuck together, then I can help you out some. I may be published, but I'm no expert. That's why I have Shizuka editing for me, she has a doctorates in literature and the English language." Zero hesitated, unsure as to whether to reveal a piece of personal information about himself. "Sometimes, kids who like to read a lot will self-narrate from first or third person. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I did that for a few months. However, as weird as it sounds, it was helpful."

"Self-narrate? You lost me there." Kaname was drawing a blank, and Zero could tell.

"I'll demonstrate." he said.

"Zero trudged wearily to the pink four poster in his new room and sat heavily on the mattress. He could feel the starched sheets crinkle beneath his jeans as he heard the springs creak from the added weight and continuous disuse. For a moment he wondered whether or not the bed was dust free, since it looked as if no one had been there in a while. With a quick sweep of his hand, he checked the cool silk for any debris, deciding that it was safe to lie down when his hand came up clean.

"He let himself fall back before remembering that Kaname was still in the room with him. Zero turned his head minimally, silver tresses falling in disarray over his mauve eyes. He noticed how the brunette gazed at him in amusement, full lips tilting up at the corners. A ghost of a returning smile passed over his own mouth before he scowled, turning over to show the back of his dark dress shirt to the haughty jerk, a warmth creeping across his cheeks once he realized that he was still narrating out loud."

"That was pretty good, but it would be a pain in the ass to write, let alone read."

"Not if you're a seasoned writer, then it comes a bit more naturally. If you're just starting out, you have to remind yourself here and there to apply as many senses to the scene that you can." Zero explained, half-turning back to to the pureblood. "Do you read with all five senses?" he asked, blinking back to him.

"I thought that you wrote with all five senses." Kaname said, beginning to get confused.

"You can do both." he said, turning back around to face him, hating his girlish features. "When you read a book, with or without plenty of stimulus, is it like there's a movie playing in your head?"

Kaname considered the question for a moment, taking too long for Zero's liking.

"Okay, have you read the legend of Kaguya Hime?"

"The Tale Of The Bamboo Cutter? Yes."

"Have you read a version without pictures?"

"Yes."

"Good, now it wasn't very descriptive in most parts, but when you read it, were you able to imagine how beautiful she was with her hair that 'shone like gold'? Or how her eyes filled with tears as she gazed upon the full moon?"

"Yeah. I get what you're saying." Kaname nodded, leaning against the bed.

"Good. Some people can't do that. What is this place anyway?" Zero asked, looking around the flowery room.

"It was meant for someone, but due to certain circumstances, we couldn't live together." Kaname muttered, obviously uncomfortable.

"Ah, so have you lived here long?" he changed the subject, not wanting to pry into the pureblood's personal life, just as he didn't want his dug up past what little of his childhood he was willing to reveal.

"I don't want to talk about them." he muttered, looking away.

Zero winced, feeling as if he kept stepping on land mines.

"You... also mentioned that you wanted me to teach you how to love." he started, trying to avoid stepping on any toes. "Is that to help your writing?"

"It is, since I don't have any first hand experience myself."

"You're better off." Zero murmured. "Though I know quite a few people who would beg to differ. More experience, what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger, all that crap."

"I take it that you're not very fond of lady love."

"She's only been a whore to me, though I'd rather not think about it..."

"But you will be teaching me how to love, right?" Kaname asked, peering down to the ex-human's face.

"Just tell me what you want to write and I'll do the scenes for you. We'll call it a co-write and make millions, because I'm not up to reliving the pain long enough to teach and explain as thoroughly as you would need." Zero looked up to the pureblood. "Why don't you just get a girlfriend?"

"Because, women only want one thing from me."

"You sound like a woman." he laughed, turning over so that his back faced Kaname. "So you think learning from a man would be more sincere?"

"There would be much less of a risk of growing attached if my partner's a male."

"Much less or none at all?"

"Much less. As they say, you never know."

"Well I'd like to find 'they' and ask them what they've been smoking, because that is most definitely not true."

"Does that mean you'll teach me?"

"... We'll see. Let's just get to know each other first. You want to learn to love from scratch, for the type of novel you're writing, so an instantaneous relationship jumping straight into the physical would hurt more than help. Of course, we're talking about writing." he cautioned.

"Wait, are you saying that we'll be acting out the roles of the characters? Or was that just my assumption?"

"You assumed correctly. The brain thinks up the plot, ideas, characters, and the writer becomes the medium. The words flow from the mind through the body through the pen onto the paper, or in your case very soon, from your fingertips to the keys to the screen. A part of that character is living inside you, and you'll have to pull them out, you'll have to become that character for the brief few moments or minutes that you're writing their lines and persona in general."

"Man, writing in general is a pain in the ass, huh?"

"It is," Zero nodded, agreeing. "But when you get fans that can relate, or if they felt something when reading your story, whether it touched their heart or they learned a lesson from you, it's all very satisfying to know that you connected personally with your reader for even a moment in time. That is a writer's true pride. That is my pride. And, it should be yours, otherwise you shouldn't be writing."

Kaname nodded, truly understanding what Zero was saying. The reason he wanted to learn to love was to be able to improve his writing so he could relate to his audience better. He wanted them to be able to relate to the struggles of his characters, and have them learn through them as well. He didn't have all of the answers, but he did have an endearing story he wanted to share with the world, somewhere within him. It's just yet to be born was all.

"Huh, I talked entirely too much. I get a little excited when it comes to writing and books... and teaching... So... what's _my_ first lesson?" Zero asked.

"Your first lesson is about a pureblood's blood. It's protected by law, and we are the only ones who can decide who will drink from us. Anyone attacking us for our blood, we're allowed to kill if we so desire." Kaname muttered, rubbing his wrist, which was still healed, yet still stung from Zero's bite.

He could feel the ex-human stiffen besides him, possibly in fear, but something was telling him it was out of surprise.

"Is that so?" he said softly, rolling his eyes. "Well, feel free to dispose of me as you see fit."

"Just like that?"

"Law is law, and I respect that, to a certain point. Not that I actually care whether I live or die. Shizuka-san is an excellent teacher, she can help you with your writing."

"So you say you don't care," Kaname mused, fingers creeping up along Zero's collar to grasp at the tense flesh of his neck. "whether you live or die, yet here you are, resisting my touch."

"Because I still don't like your face."

"And just what is it about my face that you don't like?"

"Everything. For example, your chestnut hair, and the way it's wavy, how it doesn't curl, or is completely straight." Zero started, reaching a hand up to brush along the tips of his soft hair.

His fingers combed through the dark strands, parting them softly here and there, trying to decide which way would look best and frame his face.

"I don't like how it smells of roses mingled with your own indescribable scent, or your high cheekbones that make you look so haughty when you smile." he continued, digits tracing over his temple to skirt across his cheeks, fingers feeling, appreciating the bone structure.

Zero furrowed his brow as he noticed the smooth, bumpless texture of his skin. For someone who would one day be king, he sure was stress free.

"I don't like the fact that your ivory skin is so feminine and soft, that and how full your lips are." he laughed, fingers skating down to play with the outline of the pureblood's mouth.

The warmth of Kaname's breath breezed over Zero's fingers, moistening them as he pressed them gently against the heated skin. The pureblood could feel the desire to root emerge again, his lips pressing back against the digits in seemingly small kisses of it's own accord. He could feel his eyes glow dully with the craving blood lust that manifested because of the intimate contact, drawing the ex-human's eyes to his own.

What was Zero doing to him?

_"But, the thing I can't stand the most,"_ he whispered, voice growing softer. _"is how your eyes remind me of the sweetest chocolate mixed with the most savory of blood. That, the fringe of lashes protecting those precious eyes... It's all so detestable..."_

Zero sat up, Kaname's hand still loosely around his neck. He looked into those sweet, steady eyes, hand sweeping over his jawbone, fingers pushing his hair back with it, leaving the entire left side of Kaname's face and neck bare. As he drew closer, Kaname could see that Zero was no longer staring at him, but through him.

_"I really can't stand it, y..."_ Zero breathed, focusing on the pureblood in front of him before lowering his head. "Sorry. I get carried away with descriptions, but it's not only descriptions that will make a story. Without a drop of emotion, it's just visuals on paper. I've always thought of romance novelists as reapers, of sorts. We aim to collect your hearts, to draw deep emotions from you so that you invest your heart into our work, just like we've given our hearts for you. Some writers lay bare their souls, and I put all of myself into my writing, and so I've become a rather emotional person. My apologies for creating an awkward atmosphere."

"You're dangerous." Kaname said softly.

"I guess I am." Zero shrugged, withdrawing his hand and heat from Kaname's hair and neck. "So kill me now." he said, his own hand covering the one Kaname still had loosely around his neck.

"And melodramatic." he smirked.

"Hey, I write romances, I write parts for both women and men. I'd have to be able to somewhat understand the opposite sex to some degree if I wanted to write accurately."

"But you remember what it's like to be a man, right?" Kaname teased. "About raw power, and sex, and the hunt."

"No, I haven't forgotten about those. I have two heads, but only enough blood for one of them to rule at a time."

"So which one is ruling now?" he asked out of pure curiosity.

"...I don't even have enough blood to operate one, thanks to you."

"I may not know a whole lot about romance, but I could tell from when I sucked your blood that you found it enjoyable."

"Of course it was, purebloods have endorphins in their blood to make their prey feel ecstasy when they drink, so they more willingly donate. It's supposed to be the next best thing to sex."

"How much do you know about that?" Kaname inquired, lifting a brow.

"I read up on whatever I'm curious about. My editor-slash-publisher is also a pureblood, so I've been told about a few things."

"So what about sex, how much of that do you know about?"

Zero's eye twitched.

"Not that much." he admitted, figuring that Kaname got whoever he wanted. "My hands are the most I've felt, and I don't really care if I'm still a virgin. How many women have you had?" he added bitterly.

"I haven't had anyone, contrary to popular belief. There isn't anyone around that I would like to spend eternity with. If I mate, I want it to be for life. It's hard for purebloods, you know? We can have anyone we like, just about, and that leaves the door open for more than one world of possibilities. Shizuka fell in love with a human, and while some turn a blind eye to that, others constantly give her a hard time because of her choice. They don't see Jiro as someone who could be useful in vampire society, even though she turned him into a vampire, society still looks down on them both because it's such an extreme opposition of class.

"Then there are those in vampire society that want to use the purebloods for the power we hold and represent. Of the people I've met superficially, all of them want a piece of me somehow. That's how vampire society works. From the moment I became virile, father's would introduce me to their daughters, no matter how old they were. They would bring me children and older women. Husbands sometimes introduced me to their wives and their sisters, mothers... Older women would shower me in compliments and request for us to spend time together, in hopes of seducing me into giving them a child."

"That sounds disgusting." Zero frowned, feeling sorry for the pureblood.

"It was." Kaname nodded as he remembered the countless parties he was whored off to. "It was exhausting, so I stopped going altogether by the time I turned fifteen, and I haven't been out of this mansion in the past three, four years? I feel like a hikikomori."

"You really need my help, don't you?" Zero laughed in disbelief.

"I still have to learn how one would feel around someone they like."

"You know nothing about that?"

"Not a thing." Kaname shook his head.

"...Describe what you're feeling right now."

Kaname blushed, his hand involuntarily squeezing tighter around Zero's neck. He probably didn't even realize that he was doing either.

"Confused would be the most prominent of my emotions at the moment."

"About?" Zero prompted.

"Emotions in general, intimate ones, rather than anger, or stoicism, or indifference."

"And your instincts, what are they telling you right now?" Zero breathed, suddenly noticing how the space between them had decreased drastically over the course of the conversation.

"To remove your glasses." Kaname murmured, using his free hand to pluck them off of his face.

The world bent again once the lenses were removed from Zero's eyes. In the slight, slight blur the world took on, Kaname's face changed with it, suddenly looking less feminine, and much easier to appreciate without similarities...

"Then I suppose I'll first have to teach you about attraction, and make you aware of it." he smirked. "Honestly, you're like an adult when it comes to politics and hidden intentions, but you're just like a kid when it comes to love."

"You're here to help me grow up."

"And you're here to help me integrate into your society. Let's not forget that." Zero said, squeezing Kaname's hand. "Because I made a promise that I intend to keep."

"A promise?" the pureblood whispered.

**_"What the hell are you doing to my son?"_**

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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**A/N:** I'm thinking I made them too close, too fast. now I need a rift. :(

**Reviews:** Please and Thank you!


	3. The Promise

**A/N:** I feel like I've approached this all wrong, because it seems as if I've switched their personalities. O_o Oh well, I've been meaning to explore something like that anyway. Just chalk it up to bad planning on my behalf. XDX

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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The two jumped as their heads whipped around to the intruder standing in the doorway. Shizuka chortled as she let herself in, adjusting her kimono and eying Kaname's soft pout in amusement.

"Kaname, if you besmirch my son's sweet lips, I'm afraid that I'll have to punish you most severely." she warned, cocking a hip to the side to rest her hand upon.

"No one's going to sully anyone." Zero frowned, looking calmly to his publicist, his hand dropping from Kaname's.

Honestly, there was a time for jokes, and now wasn't one of them, especially in the sort of uncompromising situation he had been placed in.

"Judging from your positions, I'm doubtful that your lips weren't the only thing that was about to be violated...?" her sentence trailed off with a delicate arch of a brow.

"I've never even hugged anyone outside of my family. I doubt I'm even ready to..." Kaname murmured, red tinging his cheeks as his hand loosened around Zero's neck, sliding down his chest.

_"You practically hugged and violated me in the hall."_ Zero whispered.

_"Hold your tongue."_ Kaname growled, his blush spreading at the memory.

Shizuka smiled warmly at the two, straightening up as she drifted closer to the pink, king size bed.

"May I?" she asked, waving an elegant hand to the mattress edge.

The young pureblood nodded, unaware that his hand was still on Zero's chest. She sat, mattress dipping slightly from her light weight. The two wondered how she managed to not make the springs creak before deciding that it was best not to ask, lest she think they were implying that she had weight issues, which was definitely not the case.

Zero_ had _to stop thinking from a woman's point of view when he wasn't writing.

"Let's have a dialogue, shall we? I'm no martinet, but there are rules for handling underlings that even you should abide, Kaname." Shizuka began, scooting a bit closer to the pair. "I sent Zero here because I believed he would be safe in your care, yet at the same time, very beneficial to your personal cause. Perhaps it was wrong of me to assume that you two would instantly take a fancy to each other, though I have informed Zero about you to some extent, so he could gain a better understanding of your lifestyle. I divulged nothing personal, as I believe it's up to you to decide just how much you want to reveal, but I think you could do good with some of Zero's information. It should make your differences and goals a bit easier to understand and tolerate."

"I suppose." Kaname shrugged, folding his hands in his lap, staring intently at the older pureblood.

"As long as it's just the basics." Zero added with a hint of nervous fear, instantly quelled by another of her smiles.

He pulled his frames from Kaname's hand, deciding to fold them up and place them in his breast pocket for now. His fingers brushed against his ballpoint pen, sending white hot desire through his entire being. In that moment, all Zero was concerned about was documenting this official conversation in writing, as there were several points to it he would have to memorize to keep his own story straight.

Oh what he wouldn't have given for a stack of blank notebooks right at this moment.

"First, I think you need to understand the reasoning behind his choices." she started, heliotrope eyes flitting to Zero. "Go on."

_"Me?"_

"Well they are your reasons." she frowned, wishing he would just get it over with.

With a sigh, Zero turned back to address Kaname.

"As I've mentioned before, I'm an author. I write for a living, even when I'm attending school. It's my passion, that, education and deeper thinking."

Kaname nodded, agreeing that they were passions worth having.

"One day, I realized that I won't be around forever, so I decided to make a change so that I could continue writing stories long after my normal lifespan would have ceased. My writing contains a bit of everything, romance, mystery, fantasy, vampires, humans... Shizuka-san thought my writing bridged gaps, so wen I told her about my plan, she agreed to turn me."

"So you did do it for longevity then?" Kaname asked with a frown.

"If you must know." Zero repeated bleakly.

"There has to be more than that. One doesn't simply wake up and decide to subject themselves to the pain and torture of transitioning species without a very specific reason." the brunette huffed. "Compared to all the possible reasons out there, power, revenge, to join a lover, like Jiro did-"

"Longevity is my reason!" Zero growled, clearly agitated. "If you have such a problem with that then you can finish what you started earlier."

"But if longevity is your reason, then why are you so eager to end your life? It sounds suspicious to me."

The ex-human turned pale as he looked away. A quick swat sounded as Shizuka's palm connected to the back of Kaname's head.

"Mind your manners to a guest." she scolded, eying him critically. "You were raised better than that."

"My apologies." Kaname sniffed.

"As you can see, I'm not that interesting. However, considering that I volunteered some of my personal information, it's only fair that you tell me more about yourself, especially about the types of romances you want to write."

"Purebloods don't take commands from those below their station."

"You had no problem with it earlier." he accused.

Kaname's eyes rested briefly on Shizuka before flitting back to Zero. He decided to not to go off on a tangent with the 'non-martinet' there.

"That's different."

"Alright." Shizuka sighed, closing her eyes for e brief moment. "I can see that I'm hurting more than helping. Kaname, I'm going to have another chat with Asato before leaving. In the meantime, why don't you give Zero a tour of the mansion?" she asked, rising from the mattress to leave.

"If I must." Kaname sighed, not looking away from Zero's downcast eyes.

"If you don't want him wandering in areas that shouldn't be wandered into, then you must. Especially the bathroom, you two are filthy." she dismissed with a wave. "Behave yourself, Zero."

"I'll try..." he agreed halfheartedly, looking down to his ashen shirt.

The brunette stared at him, studying the tense lines of his neck as Zero clenched his jaw. His body language was rather tense as his eyes unfocused, as if he was looking back into his own past, his mood falling even worse than before.

"I suppose I should at least show you where the restroom is, and the dining area."

"Yeah." he muttered, snapping back into reality.

Both males sighed in unison as they rose from the bed and traveled out into the hall.

"I'll tell you that this room was meant for my sister." Kaname mentioned offhandedly, glancing to Zero, who grimaced.

"You're a Kuran, right?" he asked, uncertainty coloring his tone.

"Of course? What of it?" he blinked.

"I'm just making sure." Zero said nonchalantly. "So you're being groomed to take over as the next king, when the council oversees your, er, our society?"

"Something like that. There's going to be big changes approaching, soon. I guess Shizuka can sense them."

"Why do you say that?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"Because I, the next king, am going to be the one who is teaching you, not Asato, the current council elder. The restroom is in here by the way."

Kaname led them to a door that was decorated with a floral outline in gold leaf trimming over the off white hue of the wooden door. He turned the golden handle and stepped inside the surprisingly bright room, beckoning Zero to join him.

The gleaming tiled surfaces were illuminated by the light of a waxing moon, framed perfectly in the center of two adjacent corner windows, their latticework casting thin rails of shadows along the rich, autumn colored walls and sepia floor. A corner tub rested inside a carved granite block beneath the windows, decorated with crimson candles around the edges. It was the highlight of the large room, really. Past the two expansive vanitys on either side of the diamond shaped room, it drew the most attention.

The doors were not along the walls, but in the corners, like the tub. Zero stepped in further, looking around, absorbing the intriguing architecture behind the room, bending to study the mosaic tiles on the floor, marveling at the attention to detail.

This was paradise--it was stimulating to the mind, and creative senses. Zero simply had to have the bathrooms in his own home reconstructed to mirror this style!

"It's amazing." he whispered to himself, wandering to a vanity to inspect a ribboned jar of potpourri.

"It's a bathroom, mister 'I know about floor plans.'." Kaname said with an amused smile.

"I do, but I'm new money. I had my mansion built to my exact design specs, and I haven't been in many homes of rich people to truly appreciate such artistry." he turned to consider Kaname. "I'm surprised that you're having trouble with your 'romance'," he shuddered at the word. "novel, when you have a perfectly sultry setting to inspire you."

"The room inspires you?" the pureblood arched a brow.

"I don't see how it can't," he said seriously, inspecting the view through the frosty glass of the second story window.

Kaname laughed quietly to himself, feeling more comfortable now that he wasn't being lectured by a know-it-all ex-hunter who had seen more of the outside world than him. To think that someone of his worldly intelligence would be excited over, of all things, simple architecture was more than amusing, but somewhat endearing.

"You know," Kaname started, approaching Zero from behind. "for most of my life, I've been alone, and during the times I was in a beautiful setting, I was too busy trying to stave off pretenders to appreciate any of it. Other times, I just didn't care."

"You'll have to care about beauty if you want romance, especially when appealing to creatures as vain as vampires." Zero sat on the ledge, still looking outside the window. "Beauty is in our nature." he sighed wistfully.

The pureblood edged nearer to Zero, gazing at his profile. The ex-hunter had described his beauty earlier, but how would Kaname describe his? He began to ask himself questions as he grew curious about the youth. Was his silvery hair as silky as it looked? Would he be able to taste even a hint of the flavor of his blood against the thin skin of his lips? And how many emotions could his mauve orbs express without words?

"Your eyes are transparent." Kaname commented. "It'll be problematic if you want to successfully integrate into our society, especially if you're planning on residing amongst the upper class."

"Careful now," Zero smirked. "If you were to write that down, people might actually read that as the character's eyes being see-through. Though you might be able to get away with it in a song or poem, since you can use it as a metaphor or euphemism."

"I'm a bit cloudy on euphemisms." his brow furrowed.

"Like someone tells you they're busy, when they're obviously not, and they're just saying that so you leave them alone. It's a more pleasant way of mentioning an otherwise negative description or situation."

"Ahh, I hate those things." Kaname frowned. "Though it's an integral part of our society, and something that won't ever change. That reminds me, quid pro quos are something you should have to look out for."

Zero affixed his own questioning gaze to the pureblood.

"A 'this for that'. I'm of the ruling class, so I won't have to encounter many propositions of that nature. You, however, will probably face about a thousand of those a year should you become a socialite."

"I can manage." he dismissed, toying with the waxy wick of a crimson candle. "How come you never light these?"

"I take showers, not baths."

"You can't be serious." Zero looked to Kaname as if he were insane. "You don't notice beauty, you aren't big on details, and now you're telling me that you don't enjoy baths? What kind of an aspiring romance novelist are you?"

"Oh dear, forgive me, I had no idea that they went through such rituals. I'm sorry if I don't like soaking in a pool of my own filth."

"That's why you shower before you get into the tub."

"But it's boring soaking in a tub for no reason."

"That's why you think while you're in there."

"I can think in my room, all day if I like. It's not like I have any place to go."

The ex-human's eyes turned pitiable.

"Sorry, for a moment I forgot. But, hopefully, that will change soon." he finished awkwardly, digging at the wax with his short fingernails.

Kaname stared at him, becoming annoyed with his unconscious habit.

"You can use the candles and bath if you like. It's probably been a long night for you, and you're covered in soot and splotches of blood."

"So I am." said Zero, looking to his chest and sleeves across to Kaname. "And so are you."

"Thanks to you." Kaname scowled, not liking to get dirty.

"We could have avoided this whole fiasco if you hadn't burned that poor, defenseless book." he replied matter-of-factly.

"No one told you to jump in the fire after it."

"No one told you to be a book burner."

"It's my book, I made it. It's my property and I can do what I wish with it."

"Shizuka turned me, so she 'made me'." he curled two fingers on either hand as air quotes. "Does that mean I belong to her?"

"Yes."

Zero's brows shot up in surprise, eyes looking on in disbelief before he gave a weak smile.

"Is that so?" he laughed weakly. "So where's the shower?"

Kaname couldn't help but feel that he was stabbing at weak spots. He didn't understand--Zero should have known that Shizuka was now technically his master. He was going to have to be a lot stronger if he wanted to succeed in his new social class.

"Over by the vanity closest to the door we came in through, there's a narrow hall leading to the shower."

"Ah, alright." he muttered, getting up to explore and escape.

The curving hall was tiled in a deep russet, keeping with the fall theme until it lead into a small charcoal colored chamber with a single shower head fixture dangling from the ceiling. What, was that where the gas was going to come from to put him into a permanent sleep? It was very dark in the shower area, probably with no light switch either, which was slightly discomforting to someone who had always lived his life in the light beforehand. Zero inspected the shower knobs, wondering how the hell they were supposed to work as he twisted, turned and pulled to no avail. Instead of one or two knobs, there were four, a lot more than he was used to.

"Are you still out there? Can you help me figure out how to work the shower?" he called, at wits end. "Kaname?"

"I'm coming, I had trouble with the shower too at first, so you're not the only one." his voice echoed in the chamber as he approached. "Whoever thought up the design specs for it was thinking ahead though."

"It seems more like they were thinking without one." Zero murmured, suddenly feeling tense at the closer proximity they shared.

He had to calm down. Just because the similarities were there didn't mean the personalities were the same.

"This knob is to adjust temperature to exact specifications." Kaname explained, touching the top knob in the alignment. "The one beneath it is for water pressure, the third is for settings like pulse, massage, and the fourth is for special settings that use a predetermined combination of the first three, like mist, rain, luxury, etcetera, etcetera."

"So how do you turn it on?" Zero laughed shortly, turning around to inspect the area for any more knobs, spotting a pull switch for a light. "Do you say 'on' or something like- OH HOLY HELL!"

Zero had tugged on the pull expecting dim light to flood the area, not a thousand gallons of ice water! Kaname pushed past him beneath the torrent to pull on the switch again, effectively shutting off the flood. Zero had doubled over, hacking as he tried to clear his lungs of the water he'd just inhaled. Damn that was cold!

"Ah! A-are you okay?" he asked, shivering from the shock of water.

"I'm f-f-fine, I guess I should have told you how to turn it on f-first."

"That m-might have helped." Zero agreed, feeling along the walls. "Where's a towel?"

"You have to get them from the ha-hall outside."

"That's terribly incon-i-incon-." a great shudder ran through his body. "That sucks!"

"Tell me about it." Kaname sighed, leading Zero out of the hall, soaking through the suddenly warm restroom and back out to the hall.

Kaname opened a door directly across from them, pulling out a pair of thick, green fuzzy towels that were scented like apples. He tossed one to Zero before wrapping one around his own lanky frame, picking out a rag to wipe up after their puddles from their soaked clothes.

"Did you bring any luggage, or clothes?" he asked, willing the towel to swallow him whole.

"No, I d-didn't have any time to gather anything from my house. Shizuka-san and my master are trying to gather my possessions as we speak." Zero griped.

"That's not very smart." Kaname scolded.

"Well I hadn't actually had the chance to furnish my mansion with my things from my old house, just to have it built and stocked with the bare essentials. The few changes of clothes I had were used and everything else is still with my parents."

This time Kaname was the one to do the pitying.

"You can borrow some of my clothes until then." he sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. In here."

"T-thanks." the ex-human chattered, following him into his bedroom.

The pureblood peeled off his open shirt and pants, throwing them into a large plastic bin before rummaging through his dresser drawers.

"Just throw your clothes into the bin, I'll find you something to wear."

"Will do."

Zero kicked off his shoes and socks, plucking up his pen and glasses before shedding the rest of his clothes, save for boxers. He threw them together with Kaname's things, leaving the shoes out on the lid. He padded over to the roaring fire, placing down a corner of his towel to sit on as he waited for Kaname to find something that fit him. It shouldn't have been hard, seeing as the man was only a few centimeters, just a couple of inches taller, and not to mention just as lanky.

"I guess it's my turn to lecture?" Kaname asked, handing Zero a plain shirt and lounge pants, even some undergarments.

"Lecture away."

The two took a moment to change, backs turned out of mutual courtesy before having a seat in front of the crackling fire. They continued to towel dry their hair in silence, Zero expecting a big speech, Kaname contemplating one.

"I'm not sure how much I can teach you," the pureblood finally said, threading his fingers through his hair. "because of how much I want to change when I come into a position of power. The societal rules here are just like the ones in human culture, except with much more sadistic respect. Most of the unwritten laws are in place as etiquette when in the presence of a pureblood, but I'm afraid I've been a bad example this evening, seeing as i let you get away with so much."

"Really?" Zero inquired. "And here I thought I was restraining myself already. Then how should I act in front of a pureblood?"

"Basically, you're supposed to articulate and use proper English, never address them by first name only, bow, curtsy if you're a girl, never try to drink their blood, that's a suicide promise in the making. Basically, you treat them as if they're constantly deciding whether or not you'll live or die. You're not supposed to question them, or ask trivial favors of them, it's quite a bit to memorize."

"So why have you been letting me get away with all this disrespect?"

Kaname shrugged, thinking of how to word his response.

"I guess, it's because you treat me like an equal, which is another taboo in our society, but I rather like that about you. It's refreshing to keep company with someone who doesn't always want something from me, or... treats me like a God-like pariah. You said yourself that Shizuka could teach you all this stuff, and she probably can educate you to a much better degree than I'll ever be able to, though you're staying and even teaching me something in return. To a pureblood, that kind of contact is invaluable."

"I'd imagine so." Zero agreed.

He used his towel to wipe behind Kaname's ear, making him look over to the ex-hunter in question.

"Sorry, my mom always said to clean and dry behind your ears or else you'll get sick." he muttered, turning a faint pink before wiping behind his own ears.

The pureblood grinned crookedly, unknowing just how happy his expression suddenly became. Should he have mentioned that most vampires weren't susceptible to simple human illnesses, or hold his own tongue? Maybe he should leave the moment be.

Zero noticed the signs of internal contemplation, and the goofy look on his face. He decided to phrase the question differently this time.

"So instead of asking what your instincts are telling you, what are you_ feeling_?"

"Content." Kaname answered immediately. "Happy. I don't know what else to say."

"Do you feel light?"

"How did you guess?"

"Eh." Zero shrugged. "Lucky guess." he said, shifting to stand up. "I guess I'm going to go to bed now, we should talk more in the morning, er, early evening tomorrow."

"Alright." the pureblood nodded, standing as well.

"Hey, Kaname."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry to ask something of you, but if I teach you how to love..." he paused, trying to be careful himself. "then promise me something."

"You're doing me a huge favor, so sure." he lifted his head, ready to hear the request.

The ex-human's jaw tightened as he looked him dead in the eye.

"Don't fall in love with me."

Zero held his breath, waiting for an answer.

That was it? That was all Kaname had to agree to, besides keeping away from each others blood? What simple requests!

_How complex could love be anyway?_

_"I promise."_

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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**A/N:** I'm still experimenting between meshing multiple points of view in a single body of work, switching on and off versus the whole view to view in sections thing. I'll admit, that I like the latter better, but I think less repetition would happen with the former. There aren't any other character views in this chapter, aside from the brief conversation with Shizuka, so I opted to not split things up. *Sigh* Always learning, growing, changing... Evolving my writing until I go nuts. XD

**Reviews: **Please, thank you, and I would love you forever!


	4. Practice

**A/N:** I finally learned what an em dash was, and where the hell it was on my computer. Alt0151. Go figure. I hated using -- in substitution. I think the effect is so much nicer with the em dash. Ahh... if only I could go to college so I can improve on my writing all at once. *FAFSA = Confusing + Lack of Time = Fail*

I didn't mean to make the chapter this long, but I'm revising my writing style yet again, and I couldn't find a suitable place to cut the chapter in half since one part would be uneventful towards the plot.

I've hidden a secret message in this chapter, can you find it?

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"ღ*~+~*ღ"

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Sleep would not come easily, not for Zero, nor for Kaname.

Zero spent hours plopped onto the pink bed in the room adjacent to Kaname's. His room, he had to remind himself, since he was now technically living there, was the perfect place for tracing patterns on the ceiling. He tried to find constellations, words, even pictures in the wood grain patterning. With his vivid imagination, he had managed to find the first paragraph from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, words splayed here and there, severely cut up by the natural choppiness of the grains.

He decided to shed the clothes Kaname had given him, not wanting to have his scent dispersing in air around him as he slept. It would have been too bothersome, especially since he had actually liked the scent, if only a little.

Frowning silently at the thought, Zero turned over onto his side, in a huff that he would think such a way.

What an idiot. He had only sworn to himself a thousand and one times that he would never fall for anyone again, not for the rest of his extended life, and yet here he was, taking a 'healthy interest' in someone he shouldn't have been. Not that he expected it to develop much, if at all. Kaname's mind was not the most brilliant when it came to writing and the arts. Then again, what he lacked there, he more than made up for with his brain for politics and public affairs and the like.

Especially when it came to vampire society. Was it really true that he actually belonged to the person who had turned him? That he was property, and was 'owned'? Was that person supposed to be his master, or something like that? Whatever the relationship now, Zero had never formed a blood bond with them, while he and Kaname had formed one, not even hours ago, like it was nothing. Was that something he should have just accepted?

Zero realized, with chagrin, that no, no it wasn't. Despite all that he had been put through, he still would have rather been bound to his master, and not the young prince, but it was beyond his control now. The bond wasn't about to dictate their emotions or feelings towards one another, it just meant that their destinies were entwined, one thing he hadn't been thinking about when he bit through Kaname's wrist, more focused on making a good, albeit spiteful impression rather than the repercussions of his actions.

He took action before thought, something that he felt he would pay for dearly one day, if not now.

Rolling over and away from the sun, Zero entangled himself in blankets as he curled up on his side, utterly exhausted from the night's events. As he drifted off, his mind whispered to him once more. It was something seemingly small, and insignificant, but it spoke volumes as a fail-safe in keeping his promise to himself.

If he was attached to his master, then he couldn't possibly look at anyone else...

**"ღ*~+~*ღ"**

Another night, another person who desired to use him because of his status and position in society. It wasn't as if Kaname was surprised anymore. Over the last few years, many had tried to get close to him. It was only because of Asato were they unable to come any closer than was comfortable for the pureblood prince.

But now, since he had finally let someone into Kaname's life... what was he supposed to think? Feel? Kaname wasn't stupid, he could make his own decisions, he could form his own thoughts and decipher his own feelings by himself. It wasn't as if they were that hard, since he didn't have that many. So then what were his thoughts and feelings towards the new house guest?

First and foremost, that man was eccentric, and chatty, and dramatic, ballsy, and curious as hell. It was very different from what he was used to, that was for sure, and a small part of him reveled in the fact that he had such a polar opposite to interact with. For one, things wouldn't be so dull around the house anymore, even if he liked his solitude.

Kaname let out a sigh as he lifted his pierced wrist, which had fully healed by now. There was still a slight sting, a slight ache that wouldn't stop. Was that how all bites felt like? He stroked the soft, pale flesh of his wrist before bringing it to his lips, the gentle skin on skin contact tickling. With a soft kiss and glow of lavender light, the pain receded.

He stretched out on the mattress, rolling over onto his stomach beneath the... scarlet duvet, and fluffed his pillow before plopping face first onto it. Look at him! A few hours with the ex-human and his theatrics were already sparking to life. A small, muffled chuckle escaped his lips in amusement at the thought, surprising himself when he heard the sound. It felt foreign, and out of practice. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember the last time he had really laughed.

The gesture was something he had to write down, to track his progress and for future referencing. Since Zero would probably be with him for the entire one year period after all, perhaps Kaname would keep a diary about the experience. The thought seemed like a good idea. It was enough to pull him out of his already comfortable position in bed and over to the modest desk near his window.

There, on top of the polished wooden surface sat the manuscript he had tried to burn earlier. The pages were charred and blackened, some bits of the paper yellowed and browned here and there. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

Scrawled in smooth black ink along the top of the cover was the neat writing of his new house guest.

_Keep this, we'll compare it to your finished product when you** do** get published. Your ideas are clever, you just need to choose the right words to tell the story.  
Your heart is in the right place, now all you have to do is find it, and I'll show you how.  
I believe in you.  
- Zero Kiryuu_

Kaname had to swallow back against a lump in his throat, and an unnamed emotion creeping over him. At first he had been surprised to find the booklet he thought was utter trash. Now, however, it was a treasure: the very first positive feedback he had ever been given about anything in his life. The pureblood ran his fingertips along the cover, over the dried ink as if he could lift the feelings right out of those words. His eyes flickered over the rest of the surface, surveying the amount of damage before deciding that the booklet would be better off in some sort of protective encasing. He opened a large drawer, the one where he kept all of his stationary needs, and withdrew a manila envelope and composition book, leaving it open until he finished with the manuscript.

Carefully, so as not to crumble the poor, abused thing, Kaname daintily picked up the manuscript with his thumb and forefinger, gently sliding it into the envelope before winding the flap shut with the red thread provided. From the cup of pens at the edge of his desk he chose a broad-tipped marker and a ballpoint pen. Crouching over the desk, he uncapped the marker and brushed the nib lightly over the envelope in his best handwriting.

**Inspiration**

The strong scent of alcohol from the permanent marker saturated his senses, absorbing the memory of resolve with the fleeting thoughts of his new sensei.

Seemingly satisfied with his work, Kaname recapped the marked and put it back in its respective place before laying the envelope in his special stationary drawer, sliding the wood shut, which had become so much heavier now that the contents were so important to him.

It was as if someone had grasped his hand and begun to whisper in his ear, compelling Kaname to take a seat at the desk and write out his mind.

He wrote about Zero mostly, about his first impression of him, his personality, a list of traits Kaname had discovered about him that he had named off to himself earlier. Now he could tick off one more trait he had found in him—thoughtful. There was much more he wanted to write about, but his thoughts escaped him faster than he could pen them to the paper, excuse the small pun.

Well, he did have all day.

**"ღ*~+~*ღ"**

As dusk approached, Zero awoke naturally, blinking up to the well-studied ceiling. It didn't matter how he went to sleep, on his side, curled up or twisted, he would always wake up on his back—a sleeping habit he was actually very grateful for, since it kept him from getting kinks.

His vision spun as he sat up too quickly. Shaking out his hair groggily, he wandered over to a suitcase that had been deposited into his room as he slept, most likely by Jiro. He noticed that his vision had improved again overday, since he could see most of the details of the contents of the luggage, even make out the words on the tags of his clothing if he squinted. Zero had mixed feelings about not having to use his glasses anymore, which, he figured wouldn't happen for a little while, since they helped him focus on his writing. He felt productive in them, and resolved right there to keep using them as a tool of focus, since there were times in which he would procrastinate so easily.

Zero dressed in a school uniform, only the shirt and pants. His fingers floated over a smooth, crisp sheet of paper that had been placed on top of his clothes, crumpling it on accident before holding it up in front of his face to read.

There were two messages on the single sheet of yellow notepad paper, one in Shizuka's elegant script, the other in his master's—hunting master, that was—block handwriting.

_This is all we could get for now, I'm sorry, but we did manage to transfer your funds into a different, temporary account to keep your family from swindling you. All the information is at the bottom of the luggage in a new checkbook, you can transfer your own funds now whenever you feel like it. Yagari-san and I will work on obtaining the rest of your possessions from your parents' custody. Jiro is working on your emancipation.  
_

_Please, relax and enjoy the rest of your winter holiday. I've taken Asato-san with us to register Kaname for school and set up living arrangements, so we'll both be back in two days, along with Yagari-san. We can spend a little time together before you go back to school, under the 'official supervision' of a Hunter from the Association, how does that sound? *Fond smile* You should bring Kaname as well, I hear it's been years since he last left that mansion..._

_Love,  
Shizuka Hio ~ Kaasan _

The note made Zero smile, his heart warming at the thought that Shizuka cared about him enough to be more of a mother to him than Hikari ever was. His eyes flit down to the second note, his mind already conditioned to interpreting Yagari's way of expressing himself.

**I had no idea how much of a cunt your mother could be, but like Shizuka said, we're working on getting your crap back.**

Translation: 'I'm sorry that you're going through a tough time, we're trying to help you all that we can.'

**The Association might want to keep you as one of their dogs, so don't get too friendly with the enemy, he could cut you down without Bloody Rose.**

'I'm working on getting your other job back even if you are a vampire, so be careful and behave yourself while you're with your host.'

**Don't just sit on your ass all break, you better train, because I'll be testing you the moment I get back to make sure you haven't lost your touch.**

'Enjoy your break, but be ready for when I come back, since we'll be spending time together so I know you're still the same person you were before.'

**You're shit outta luck if you get sick,**

'Take care,'

**Your now legal keeper—Touga Yagari**

'Dad.' Basically.

That part of the note made him laugh. It was something he could probably show Kaname for when he taught him about tone, character development, and archetypes.

Damn he loved archetypes, and Shizuka and Yagari were perfect examples of two of them right there—the loving surrogate mother, and the tough-talking, yet kind-hearted father figure.

Zero also liked fucking up archetypes, but not when it applied to real life, just in his stories. Then again, he was sure that they had their own quirks that kept them from fitting into a single frame. He hadn't spent enough time with them to really dig deeper on their characters, though their age and experience probably had something to do with it.

But habits and quirks were definitely noticed. If they could be described as any sort of family, it would be a very unconventional one.

Shizuka knew just from the way he wrote his manuscripts that he hated the sensation of fingernails scraping over the ridges of his fingerprints, just by how well he had described the pet peeve for another character. In return, Zero knew, from being around her for as long as he did, that whenever she drunk from a plastic bottle, she would suck the liquid out without letting any air back in until she had her fill. The bottle would crinkle in on itself that, and Zero wondered if that habit was something she was used to from drinking blood the same way, and if it was a vampires-only thing, but he had yet to do that himself.

He didn't dare want to think of the other possible reasons she drunk like that.

Yagari was the one to tell him that he could wiggle his ears, since he did it unconsciously when he tried to strain his hearing during hunting drills. That, though, wasn't nearly as weird as one of his peeves.

Just from looking at Yagari, one would have thought that how his food was arranged would be one of his last concerns, but on the contrary... Every time they ate dinner together, Yagari HAD to have all of his food separate—even the stir fry. All alike foods could be grouped together, like lintels, but had to not touch on a plate, otherwise he wouldn't eat it. It was a rather infuriating preference-turned-habit of the older hunter, but one he had so organized that it never affected family meals back when he was living with his parents.

No wonder he was so skinny.

When Zero had asked him about the strange habit, Yagari replied with a rather convincing reasoning.

_"Zero, the Hunter's Association is basically a government operation. You know from experience, both there and at school, about the lunch trays. They each have their own, separate little divisions in which each different serving of food is placed. It's supposed to be that way, don't question it."_

He chuckled quietly to himself at the anecdotes, realizing that he should have been lecturing to Kaname about what he had just spent the last fifteen minutes thinking about instead of letting his legs cramp up from staying crouched over his suitcase. He stood, unsteadily at first, and straightened out his uniform, not bothering to close the front of his uniform shirt, since he would just have to remove it later anyways. Though he did straighten out his suitcase before he could make a mess out of the room he was given.

Today, he decided he wouldn't wear his glasses, unless he had work to do.

A few of his joints popped as he twisted back and forth, stretching to loosen the stiffness that had settled into his muscles overday. He shuffled over to the door and turned the handle, hearing the familiar sliding of metal on metal and smooth shifting of air that came when he opened the divider between his and Kaname's room.

The pureblood was asleep by the frosted window pane in his room, sitting slumped over his desk, a single arm serving as a makeshift pillow beneath his head. In his right hand, a ballpoint pen was resting between his thumb and forefinger, its tip spilling a large splotch of ink over the paper in his composition notebook. Judging by how big the splotch was, about the size of his thumbnail, Kaname hadn't been asleep for very long—a couple of hours at most.

Leaning down to study the sleeping beast, or in Kaname's case—cub, his eyes began to stray over how relaxed his face looked in slumber, much better than when he was scowling or berating him last night. His lips were parted and a little chapped, but were ruby red against his pale flesh, almost as if that blood had done him wonders in revitalizing his body. Zero rather liked the sleeping Kaname. He looked more like himself while at ease...

"Kaname...?" he murmured gently.

The pureblood's lashes fluttered, but he didn't stir.

Should Zero have woken him up, or just move the pen on his notebook? He knew he would have gone ballistic if anyone were to try to touch his writing tools, but he also knew that purebloods absolutely needed their sleep, since they were more than just political figureheads—they were royalty.

Then again, Kaname wasn't really doing anything important in the vampire world at the moment, from what he understood of the situation.

"Oi." Zero called in a monotone, probing Kaname's forehead with his finger. "Get up. We still have a lot to talk about."

"en huh sun oes own." Kaname grumbled, folding his arm over his face in a dismissive gesture.

The ex-human cocked his hip to the side in a very Shizuka-like manner, resting the palm of his hand upon it.

"The sun _is_ down. You can't act like this when you go to school, now get up."

"Don't wanna." he enunciated, clearly awake as he tried to crush his arm against his ear to block out Zero's voice.

"You don't even want breakfast?"

"Are you offering me your neck?" the pureblood growled, sienna eyes sparkling with desire as they peeked out from behind his arm.

The lilt in Kaname's voice was dangerously seductive, which made Zero wonder whether or not he was aware of that habit of his. The ex-human could have gotten mad, he could have growled, and bitched at the insane, book-burning pureblood, but he didn't. Instead, he worked on trying to find his muse, and blood seemed like a definite motivator for him.

After all, Kurans liked games.

"If you can catch me before I make it to the kitchen, I'll let you have another taste." Zero practically purred, fading into the shadows.

Kaname jerked upright, pen falling from his hand with a dull clatter to the floor. He had just been made an offer he refused to pass up, and what's more—Kaname knew the house layout, Zero did not.

Breakfast was only a bite away, and all he had to do was sniff it out for himself.

"You know," Kaname called in a huff. "In vampire society, such childish games towards purebloods are heavily frowned upon, even amongst adults and the upper class in general. This sort of thing is what the lesser vampires do!"

A gentle breeze passed by, stirring up Kaname's hair in the hallway as a small piece of paper fluttered down before him. He snatched the page in midair, uncrumpling it so he could read the neat scrawl of text.

_I don't see anyone from our society here at the moment. It's just you and I.  
- Signed, A Lesser Vampire :P_

Kaname frowned, unamused with Zero's childish antics. He hurried down the stairs at the end of the hall, past the ornate sitting room, winding through different hallways in order to get to the kitchen, where Zero stood, lazily flipping a crepe over in an oiled pan.

"I was wondering when you'd get here. I thought you purebloods were supposed to be fast." he smirked, a mocking edge in his voice.

Kaname scowled at the thought of loosing blood, but that wasn't really the important issue. Why the hell was Zero standing there, cooking in his house when there were maids to take care of that issue?

"Where are the servants?" Kaname asked, scanning the kitchen.

"Oh, them?" Zero asked, playing innocent. "They're wandering around the house somewhere else, I locked them all out of of the kitchen."

"And why would you do such a thing?" he demanded, his stomach rumbling from the sweet smell of crepes.

"Because I don't like people trying to interfere when I'm cooking." he said matter-of-factly, throwing the completed product on a plate before starting on another. "Like crepes?"

"Whats?" Kaname tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"They're like pancakes, only thinner, and you fill them with whatever you like. Do you want a fruit, meat, or vegetable one?" he asked, busying himself with looking for ingredients while the other crepe set in the pan. "The kitchen is scarcely stocked." he muttered in annoyance.

"Fruit, but you don't have to do this, that's what the servants are for." Kaname pointed out, almost annoyed, yet secretly pleased as he took a seat on a stool by a long counter.

"I'm used to it. When my parents had to go off to hunt, I was left to take care of my brother, which was often."

"You have a brother?" he asked with interest, trying to imagine him taking care of a younger sibling with how demonic he was acting last night when they first met.

"Unfortunately."

"I take it you don't get along." Kaname muttered dryly, lifting a brow as he straightened his back with perfect posture.

Zero merely shrugged as he plated his own crepe, skinning kiwi's, drizzling honey, tossing blueberries and cashews onto the bread before he rolled it up.

"That looks... incredibly odd." he turned his head, not sure whether to try the pancake or not.

"If you don't want it, I'll eat it." Zero shrugged again, pulling the plate away.

Kaname placed a finger on the edge of the plate, realizing he was being ungrateful.

"No, I'll try it." he said as if he was trying to convince himself to do so.

"Don't force yourself." the ex-human said flatly, staring pointedly at the food. "That's all I feel like cooking. If you want something more, then I can let the maids back in."

"Such insolence." he complained much in the way one would have said 'well excuse me!'.

Something about the whole situation intrigued Kaname. Whether it was the fact that he was being made to try new things, or the fact that someone who wasn't very fond of him was there, cooking him a meal, he didn't know.

Cutlery was produced along with a goblet of water, both placed near the edge of his plate.

"Why are you tending to me?" Kaname asked in suspicion.

"'Treat them as if they're constantly deciding whether or not you'll live or die.' Isn't that the way you told me to treat purebloods?" Zero asked, fixing his own crepe before pulling out a chair near Kaname to join him.

"That was a suggestion, but I rather liked the fact that you've been treating me like an equal and—"

"Calm down, I was just messing with you." he said slowly, as if trying to explain to a five year old. "I'm not about to treat you that way, I couldn't imagine anyone who would want to... never mind." he muttered sourly. "Yes I could..."

The pureblood stared at him, trying to figure out the cause for his change in tone and attitude before the tinkling sounds of cutlery reminded him of his hunger. He decided not to think about exactly what he was about to consume and just cut up the crepe, tasting the sweet and salty blend of flavors—from the crunchy, nutty contrast of the cashews to the soft, grainy bread and the crisp wedge of the fruit. It was tasty and light, yet satisfying for breakfast.

"So, tell me about parties." Zero asked, examining a turntable with various tins on the counter, plucking them up one by one to examine the contents. "What sort of manners and etiquette should I observe at one of those?"

"Feh. Just hearing the word makes me need a drink." Kaname mumbled, taking a red tin from the turntable, withdrawing a few tablets from inside.

"I was looking for those."

"Mn." the pureblood replied moodily, tossing a few tablets each into their drinks. "That was a good question for you to ask though, since parties by vampires are rather different than ones for humans, I would assume."

The two watched as the tablets dissolved in the water, clouding the water first to pink, and finally red.

"I also assume," he sighed, grasping the stem of the glass. "That you couldn't have asked at a better time, since there will probably be a party held in your honor, to introduce you to our society."

"That's good." Zero said immediately, pushing his plate away before drinking deeply from the goblet, the pseudo-blood leaving it's usual odd aftertaste in his mouth.

"Parties? I'd rather impale myself with olive branches on the tomb of a dead man..." he laughed without humor, taking another couple of bites of his breakfast.

"So you've read mythology?" the ex-human asked, rather impressed. "What other tales have you read about?"

"A few here and there." Kaname dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"Good." he smirked. "That will give you something to pull ideas from."

"Are you serious? Isn't that plagiarism?"

"Keep telling yourself that." Zero rolled his eyes. "Nothing is original anymore—there's only so many stories that can be told before elements have to be repeated.

"Understandable." the pureblood nodded, a spark of curiosity arising. "How often have you used mythology in your stories?"

"Rarely, but back to the party etiquette. When we get back upstairs I'll coach you on writing something called fanfiction."

"Even if it takes all day to lecture you?" he quirked a brow, hoping for a positive answer.

Zero smirked at his eagerness to learn and how it mirrored his own views on education. He slouched over the counter, dipping his finger into the leftover honey on the plate, drawing little patterns with the sticky syrup before placing the digit into his mouth.

"If you really want to." Zero said after a few moments, feeling it was safe to search Kaname's face since he didn't have his glasses on at the moment. "Would you like to write fanfiction? It's sometimes looked down upon as extremely unoriginal by other authors, and it's illegal to publish, for profit, since the characters aren't yours."

"Do you look down on it?"

"Not at all." came his instant reply. "I find that it can inspire the most original of ideas, in this unoriginal world that is." he gave a small smile, more to himself than Kaname at the thought of fanfiction, since that was how he got his start in writing.

"Wait a minute, how does any of that teach me how to love?" Kaname queried.

"How is a simple explanation of etiquette going to make me a 'proper gentleman' at the party, if ever I have one? By practice of course."

"So let me get this straight," the pureblood smirked. "When I explain the rules, I'm supposed to help you practice?"

"I can practice on my own, it's not that big of a deal." Zero shrugged, annoying Kaname with the gesture. "I just have to be polite to everyone. It's something I can develop on my own mostly."

"Then writing, in order for me to get better at it, I'll have to practice as well, I know that much."

"Yeah..."

He did not like the direction in which the conversation was going. The ex-human decided to busy himself with collecting their tableware, intent on throwing them in the sink for the servants, but Kaname was quicker.

"Sit." he ordered in a low tone, something about it making Zero compelled to obey. "We have maids to do that for us, though I'm not unappreciative." he continued in his normal voice, mussing with his hair. "What I want to know is, how will I learn how to love if there isn't anyone I can practice that with?"

Zero sat contemplating that question for a moment, realizing that, if he stared long enough, he didn't need his glasses to notice similarities. He considered looking away, but the way Kaname held his gaze, told him that it would be a bad decision on his part.

"Careful now, you're practicing etiquette as we speak. If you look away before a pureblood has, before we've finished addressing you—especially in public—then it's considered a great sign of disrespect, an insult."

"Then how do I get you to stop?" he asked, feeling as if he were fragmenting under Kaname's intense sienna gaze.

"Answer my question." the pureblood breathed.

Kaname wanted to know exactly what Zero planned to do. Sure, he himself was being rude by using his command to hold Zero in place, but the rules of etiquette were of a double standard. He could be as rude as he wanted to be to those not of his status with impunity.

"What do you plan to do? Take responsibility."

A snerk nearly escaped Zero at that—Kaname sounded like a pregnant woman.

"Well—"

"I—"

As both words were spoken, they realized just how close the two of them had drawn together. Zero furrowed his brows, Kaname held his breath, all at the humming sensation of electricity between their bodies. So close, yet so far away. Both of them could smell the other's scent, the way it mixed in the air around them.

The house was kept dark at all times, which was no problem at all for vampires, but for Zero, who was used to being out in the light, there was something so silencing, so enveloping about the darkness they were in that made him want to draw closer...

There was no name for the emotion of compelling desire welling in Kaname's center. Desire, desire for what? He didn't understand. All he knew was he wanted it.

The first one to pull away was Zero, who had mustered enough courage to straighten up, having been under the control of a pureblood several times before. One would have thought it was easier to walk away each time.

It wasn't.

"Who knows?" Zero finally said, breaking Kaname's concentration long enough to free his own gaze. "When you go to school, you might find a girlfriend who can help you with that." he gave a small smile at the thought, though somehow, he was unable to picture Kaname with the busty Ruka, or the stoic Rima, or even the shy Tsukiko.

He kept his thoughts away from everyone else.

"I guess." Kaname muttered, a light, yet pronounced frown etching across his features.

"Hey, practice right?"

The pureblood begrudged him a small smile, managing to look him in the eye once more.

"Yeah, practice."

* * *

"ღ*~+~*ღ"

* * *

**A/N:**Yeah, this chapter was super weird, and a mess. it's my comeback since I have just slain my writer's block. *Imagines dragon named Writer's Block, herself swiping at the cute lizard with her pen* (Well they say the pen is mightier than the sword, and that's probably why I had WB for so long. =_=) *Swipes at dragon with her laptop*

Ignore my weirdness please. =X

**Reviews:** I've missed you all. I'll love you forever. 3


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